Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Antirrhinum majus cultivar Dela 1.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant, botanically known as Antirrhinum majus, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Dela 1xe2x80x99.
The new Antirrhinum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wisbech, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Antirrhinum cultivars that have variegated foliage and numerous flowers with attractive coloration.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1998 of two unidentified proprietary seedling selections of Antirrhinum majus, not patented. The cultivar Dela 1 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Wisbech, United Kingdom.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in Wisbech, United Kingdom since November, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Antirrhinum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Dela 1xe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Dela 1xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Antirrhinum cultivar:
1. Upright and mounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Grayed green and white variegated foliage.
4. Red purple-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Antirrhinum differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in foliage and flower coloration.
Plants of the new Antirrhinum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Lapin, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,005. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Wisbech, United Kingdom, plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the cultivar Lapin in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum were more upright than plants of the cultivar Lapin.
2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had grayed green and white variegated leaves whereas plants of the cultivar Lapin had solid green-colored leaves.
3. Flower color of plants of the new Antirrhinum was darker red purple than flower color of plants of the cultivar Lapin.